Analyzing Violence and Crime in USA - 1357 Words

Introduction The evolution of humanity has been marred with much violence and turmoil. In America, the roots of the country were established in a very bloody manner and seemingly resonates in todays world as violence permeates the national landscape. The purpose of this essay is to investigate the causes of violence in America and look specifically at the youth of this country and the effects that are produced because of their behavior. Essentially, this essay will try to communicate how the proliferation of violence committed by American youth demonstrates tight connections among culture, media, and capitalism creating unique circumstances that result in excessive violence and rage relative to other youth around the world. This essay will first introduce the subject of juvenile crime and youth violence and indentify similarities to these situations around the world. Next, this essay will explore the idea and role of capitalism and hot it contributes to the problem. Finally, this wri ting will discuss the medias role within this complex situation and how it affects the circumstances revolving around this particular problem. Juvenile Crime and Youth Violence Juvenile crime is not new. Juveniles have committed crimes for as long as human history has endured. This trend is not specific to anywhere in the world either. In most, if not all, countries, there is a separate criminal justice system and practice specifically designed and designated for juvenile offenders.Show MoreRelatedHow Gun Violence Is Viewed By Society Essay1644 Words   |  7 PagesHow Gun Violence is Viewed by Society †¯Ã¢â‚¬ ¯ The relevance of gun violence has†¯been on the rise today and often one cannot walk away from the news without hearing a story related to gun violence either being covered or displayed on the news ticker scrolling through the screen. This paper will analyze three sources: an article written by Dov Cohen, titled â€Å"Culture, Social Organization, and Patterns of Violence,†on the trends of violence based on location, a Ted Talk given by Dan Gross, titled â€Å"Why GunRead MoreZero Tolerance Policy Review On The Us Education System1519 Words   |  7 PagesZero Tolerance Policy Review in the US Education System Over the past two decades the US schools have faced serious occurrences of violence. Accordingly, the prevention of school disruption and violence has evolved into an essential and crucial consideration. Beyond the avoidance of toxic violence, it is commonly agreed that on one hand teachers are not able to teach and on the other hand students are not able to learn in an educational institution portrayed by disturbance. A national survey conductedRead More Is the Death Penalty Ethical? Essay1235 Words   |  5 Pagesreducing crime? It is interesting not only to see different opinions but to see data that supports and complements those opinions. Searching for information I came across three different arguments concerning the topic of the death penalty and its ability to reduce crime ethically. The first argument was made by two men John J. Donohue and Justin Wolfers. Their argument is that we can be sure that the death penalty does not cause or eliminate large numbers of homicides or other sort’s of violence makingRead MoreDoes Capital Punishment Deter Crime? Essay939 Words   |  4 PagesDoes Capital Punishment Deter Crime? Ahmed Salman Argosy University July, 10, 2015 Introduction Capital punishment or death penalty is punishing by death. Crimes that can attract capital punishment are called capital crimes or offenses. In most countries, capital crimes include murder, robbery with violence, and treason (Doyle 2007). At the moment, there are thirty six countries in the world that practice the death penalty. More than 100 countries have abolished the dead penaltyRead MoreBodega Dreams by Ernesto Quià ±onez898 Words   |  4 PagesThis world isn’t quite big enough for all the hate it contains, that’s why our world is full of violence, crime, protests, and war. Racism is an ugly thing, it’s an ugly trait to hold especially when people tend to do it so proudly. It’s a trait that people should be ashamed of, it’s a trait that is as ignorant as it is thoughtless, and it’s a trait that is imposed every day, even in America, the land of the free and the home of the brave. In the story Bodega Dreams it deals with bla tant racism andRead MoreThe War on Drugs: a Losing Battle?1626 Words   |  7 Pagesamount of the charge. This all shows that the war on drugs is not worth the fight, nor the tax payers money. First, the war on drugs harms many innocent people. A story that shows how this war does more harm than good is best told in an article from USA Today written by Chris Hawley: Morelia Mexico. Angelica Bucio knows firsthand the mounting problems of President Felipe Calderon’s nationwide war on drugs. She was among the thousands of of revolters packed into this colonial city to celebrate MexicanRead MoreGun Control And The United States Of America Essay1845 Words   |  8 Pagesbeing the solution to reducing gun violence, or a complete violation to their Second Amendment. For an issue like gun control, that could possibly impact an entire nation, partiality becomes easily entangled in discussions that surround the topic. News sources inside the United States, such as The New York Times, as well as certain foreign news sources, such as Al Jazeera, employs data to support a particular position, rather than personal opinion. When analyzing certain sources from foreign countriesRe ad MoreMarriage Argumentative Essay1631 Words   |  7 Pagesparents are less likely to be physically abused and 55 percent are less likely to be subjected to child abuse in the USA. This is because children raised in a traditional environment are more secure, leading them to be more prosperous, happy and healthy. These children perform better in schools and colleges. Moreover, they display more stable personalities, keeping away from crime as compared to children raised by a single parent. Furthermore, they do not abuse drugs and alcohol. Similarly, men andRead MoreCrime And Crime Prevention Programs2354 Words   |  10 Pagesand order. However, criminal activities can be mitigated. The history of crime is as old as the beginning of life itself. In every generation of time, we learn of people who engaged in crimes against the law and who were punished in accordance to law of the lands in which they lived. Today, methods of mitigating crime have greatly improved, so has the meth ods of committing crime. It’s a delicate game. The reception of crime prevention programs has however been on the rise and people are beginningRead MoreUnited Nations High Commissioner For Refugees2020 Words   |  9 Pagestheir life in the USA. Most of them are refugees who are fleeing persecution and fear. Some immigrants join here for better life and seeking a good opportunity. Yearly around 75,000-80,000 people enter and want to settle In the USA (UNHCR, 2016). Their personal and familiar background or history is quite different when they entered the USA. There a lot of host communities who have been welcoming refugees bringing a new concept of community integration program. To settle in the USA is not easier at

The Tragedy Of Oedipus The King - 1365 Words

Although Sophocles’ Oedipus the King seems to be a play merely focused on the tragedy that is the tale of Oedipus, it is actually a commentary on defying the gods for the reason that one is blindly believing in supernatural entities and allowing those entities to govern one’s fate. The tragedy of Oedipus the King revolves around a king’s downfall as he tries to save his people from utter destruction. His curiosity and drive to save his city brings him to the realization that not only has his entire life been a lie, but that he is ultimately what is bringing the city to ruin. The reader learns that this is due to his empire essentially being built on the fulfillment of a terrible prophecy in which he commits patricide and copulates with his†¦show more content†¦I can’t accept him, can’t deny him, don’t know what to say, I’m lost, and the wings of dark foreboding beating-- I cannot see what’s to come, what’s still to come†¦(550-540) Using imagery of a bird and it’s dark heavy wings, Sophocles alludes to the fear of being uncertain about the existence of gods. The words dark and foreboding play into the overall vagueness of the concept of supernatural beings. One only knows what an oracle or prophet decides to tell them because again they loom over mortals. Oedipus: ...why look to the Prophet’s hearth, the fires of the future? Why scan the birds that scream above our heads? They winged me on to the murder of my father, did they? That was my doom? (1054-57) Oedipus is the epitome of the Athenian opinion and even atheism/agnosticism as he constantly patronizes believers of the gods. Instead of saying that they ensnared him to kill his father, he uses wordplay to also insinuate that Oedipus blames his misfortune on the gods and not himself, and for this reason he dismisses them. He is alluding to the gods ruling on Olympus while they toy with human’s lives. Oedipus’ irrationality is what leads him to attempt to take control akin to the Athenians of the time. Subsequently, the topic of fate versus freewill arises as Oedipus tried to take control of his narrative. Sophocles writes fate and freewill in a way that makes them coexist in a paradoxical manner. OedipusShow MoreRelatedThe Tragedy Of Oedipus The King977 Words   |  4 PagesThe Greek drama â€Å"Oedipus The King† evidently leads to the unveiling of a tragedy. Oedipus, the protagonist of the play uncovers his tragic birth story and the curse he had been baring his whole life. Oedipus is notorious for his personal insight that helped him defeat Sphinx, which lead him to becoming the king of Thebes. He is admired by the people of Thebes and is considered to be a mature, inelegant and a rational leader. From his birth, his story began with a prophecy that Oedipus would grow upRead MoreThe Tragedy Of Oedipus Oedipus The King 1974 Words   |  8 Pages1/26/16 Thesis: Despite the fact that Oedipus sentenced himself to be exiled and put other people to shame, Oedipus should have pursued the truth about his destructive past regardless. He had to fulfill his duty as king to save his people from the plague, and he ultimately had no choice but to accept his own fate. Sub-claim- Oedipus should not have pursued the truth ( PART OF INTRO )Destructive past ( it was fate) Prophecy Killed man Events out of control Oedipus should not have put other peopleRead MoreThe Tragedy Of Sophocles Oedipus The King )1044 Words   |  5 PagesThe Forgotten Ones (Describe the Significance of the Chorus in Sophocles’ Oedipus the King) Oedipus the King is a famous play written by the renowned author Sophocles and first acted out back in 429 BC. It is the second of three plays written by Sophocles that dealt with Oedipus; the first one being Oedipus at Colonus and the last one being Antigone. This play relates the story of Oedipus, a man who becomes King of Thebes while unwittingly fulfilling an old prophecy that said that he would killRead MoreOedipus The King : A Classical Tragedy1272 Words   |  6 PagesSophocles’ Oedipus the King is a classical tragedy that derives its meaning through the experiences of its tragic hero, Oedipus. Throughout the play, the eminent characteristic of Oedipus is his ignorance of the truth that inevitably leads to his downfall. This ignorance of truth is a characteristic found within the Aristotelian definition of a tragedy. Tragedy, as defined by Aristotle in his Poetics, are imitations of actions and are not narrative. This means that tragedies are often demonstratedRead Mo reOedipus the King as a Tragedy Essay539 Words   |  3 Pages Many things can describe a tragedy. However, according to definition of a tragedy by Aristotle, there are only five. The play has to have a tragic hero, preferably of noble stature. Second, the tragic hero must have a tragic flaw. Because of that flaw, the hero falls from either power or death. Due to the fall, the tragic hero discovers something. Finally, there must be catharsis in the minds of the audience. Oedipus Rex qualifies as a tragedy. It fits all the characteristics as definedRead MoreThe Tragedy Of Sophocles Oedipus The King Essay1490 Words   |  6 PagesSophocles’ â€Å"Oedipus the King,† successfully demonstrates Aristotle’s definition of tragedy. According to Aristotle â€Å"tragedy† is vastly different from what one would likely describe if requested in modern times. It is common today to hear one speak of a tragic vehicular crash, but what is being spoken of as a tragedy, is an accident, not a tragedy. Thus, it is important to understand what Aristotle thought when he spoke of a â€Å"tragedy.† Based on Aristotle, POETICS, CHAPTER VI, The tragedy is an imitationRead MoreThe Greek Tragedy of Oedipus the King 971 Words   |  4 PagesA Greek tragedy is one with a tragic outcome that is an inevitable result of the key characters personal flaws. It is a calamity he or she was destined to. However, is it possible that a hero’s laudable qualities could lead to his or her catastrophic fate? Oedipus demonstrates several admirable qualities that are portrayed throughout Oedipus the King by Sophocles. Compassion, diligence, and justness are three qualities that contribute to the internal struggles that Oedipus faces resulting in hisRead MoreOedipus The King : A Master Of Tragedy889 Words   |  4 PagesSophocles were well-known as a master of tragedy. Sophocles was born at Colonus, not far from Athens. Sophocles wrote over 100 different dramatic stories. â€Å"Oedipus the King† is one of his great stories that has a mix of heroics to it and yet, we feel sorry for Oedipus and his fate that was handed to him. We ask ourselves after reading â€Å"Oedipus the King† who was this man and why did he think he could run from his destiny of fate. Was Oedipus responsible for his final fate and could he have changedRead MoreThe Tragedy Of Oedipus The King By Sophocles2776 Words   |  12 Pagesthem with. In the tragedy, Oedipus the King by Sophocles, Oedipus’ fate starts with a prophecy. No matter how much Oedipus tries to do the â€Å"right† thing, the prophecy comes to term. It is argument-able that Oedipus was led to his tragic ending by fate. It is also possible that his tragic ending was brought open by his own actions. The idea of fate and free will both played an important role in Oedipus’ downfall. Even though he was a victim of fate. It did not control him. Oedipus was destined to killRead MoreThe Tragedy Of Oedipus The King2114 Words   |  9 PagesSophocles’ play Oedipus The King is the second tragic drama in his series of The Three Theban Plays and follows the events of misery of protagonist Oedipus, the new king of Thebes, after he killed his father and marries his mother without having a sense of awareness of their true identities in relation to him. The true downfall of the king of Thebes begins, however, at the point when he does eventually realize what deeds he has done and decides to punish himself by self-mutilating and blinding himself

International Business and Comparative Strategies Theories

Question: Discuss about the International Business and Comparative Strategies Theories. Answer: Introduction This section of the study deals with the existing theories and models of international business. The section is divided into three parts. In the first part, the discussion has been carried on the competitive strategies taken by the companies for international business. In the second part, the evaluation is made on different international business models and in the third part, the discussion made on the key factors and theories of international business and management. Literature on Best International Business and Competitive Strategy Competitive advantage, in the context of the business framework, helps a business to sustain in the competitive market (Dunning, 2015). The competitive advantage in the international context not only creates a sustainable position for the business organization, rather the business organization gains a relatively attractive position in the market. According to Beamish and Lupton (2016), in the international business context there are two generic approaches to competitive advantage. The approaches are generic approaches, but fundamentally, these two approaches are very different from each other. The two approaches are the cost strategy and the differentiation competitive strategy. According to this particular thesis, if one wants to combine both the thesis then they could not do that. Combining both these strategies is impossible. If the business organization or the firm adopts the cost strategy then, the firm has to make sure that they retain certain standard for the product that is being produced by the organization (Grant, 2016). The organizations adopting the differentiation strategy at times find it difficult to maintain a low and at the same time, find it difficult to compete with other firms, who are producing standardize goods. The changes that have been there in the international business market are rapid changes and the changes are taking place, much after Porter has come up with his theory (Meyer Peng, 2016). The recent studies on the competitive strategy, reveals the fact that there should be a combination of both the strategy. According to the recent studies, combing both the approaches is not at all impossible, but rather it is feasible. If both these approaches can be combined together then the business organization could easily survive and sustain in the complex and the competitive market. The combination of both the strategy is referred as the hybrid strategy and it is opposed to the pure strategy that was propounded by Porter (Cantwell, 2015). According to the recent studies that have been conducted the hybrid strategy, address the needs of the customer in a better way. According to researchers, the hybrid strategy not only addresses the needs of the customer in a better rather to be more precise it addresses the needs of the customers in appropriate way. According to the present studies if organizations are adopting the hybrid strategies, then one should have this fact in their mind that this particular strategy is difficult to imitate. In case of the organizations operating in the foreign markets, the organizations have to be very careful about choosing the competitive strategy (Fleisher Bensoussan, 2015). The competitive strategy that they will choose could be treated as a vehicle that will help the organization gain a position in the international business market. The strategy that the company will choose will help the organization to gain financial return from the competitive market at the same time. Therefore, in the international market, choosing the competitive strategy is very important and the organizations have to be very careful while choosing it. Review Industry Best Practice Models Where Available In the present business world, the best way of business expansion is involving in international business (Zander, McDougall-Covin Rose, 2015). Most of the large business organizations in different countries are applying different models of international business in order to expand the business at the international level. The most popular models of international business and management are as under: Franchising Joint venture Merger and acquisition Turnkey All of the models of international business are very effective in current business scenario. All of the models are discussed below: Franchising: This model of international business is very common and old model. This particular model originated in North America and became very popular for rapid expansion of market or business. This particular business model is very much effective for the businesses, which deal with the products or services that can be transfer easily. According to Morschett, Schramm-Klein and Zentes (2015), franchising is such a business technique in which the franchisor (who is the actual owner of the business and has trademark on the products or service) allows the franchisee (who operates the business in the other country or place on behalf of the franchisor) to distribute and sale the products of the franchisor by using the trademark. Grber and Petersen (2016) noted that the success of the franchising business model depends on the efficiency and success of the franchisee because franchisee is the person, who directly deals with the business in the foreign countries. Buckley (2016) mentioned that many giant business organizations especially from the fast food industry opted for this particular business model for expanding the business in the international market. For example, McDonalds has expanded its business in different foreign countries by adopting the franchising model. In the same way, Starbucks has also expanded its business in different countries. Joint Venture: Joint venture is another common international business model adopted by different business entities. In the words of Jackson and Srensen (2016), joint venture is a business model, in which two or more investors enjoy the business ownership as well as control over the business operations. Tallman and Pedersen (2016) stated that the major advantage of this particular business model is sharing of the business risk. As there are two or more business ownerships, the risks are also shared by both of the owners. At the same time, the model also helps to achieve the financial strengths of the organization. However, Chaney (2016) commented that the owners of the business do not have direct control over the management of the business and sometimes it becomes very difficult to recover the capital from the business. On the other side, Buckley (2016) stated that there are many companies, which have achieved tremendous success by adopting the joint venture business model. For example, virgin mobile expanded its business in India by involving in joint venture with Tata Teleservices. Another most popular joint venture happened between Sony and Ericsson, through which both the companies expanded the mobile communication business in different countries. Merger and acquisition: In this particular business model, two business organization merge together to gain some market and operational advantages in the business. Mellahi and Frynas (2015) believed that merger and acquisitions is the strongest model of business expansion or globalization. This business model was very popular from 1980 to 2000. Radebaugh, Sullivan and Daniels (2015) mentioned that the companies can minimize their risks by adopting the merger acquisition business model. At the same time, Coviello (2015) opined that companies can enhance the market power by applying merger and acquisition business model. For example, Facebook has increased its market coverage and power by acquiring Whatsapp. Similarly, Microsoft and Nokia merged together to gain competitive advantage in the international market. Turnkey: Turnkey is also very common model of international business. Chaney (2016) mentioned that turnkey is such a business model in which the business is in such a condition that allows immediate action or operation of the business. Grant (2016) stated that turnkey business model is generally adopted by the real estate business organizations. For example, MB Haynes has adopted the turnkey business model in order to reach its business expansion to the higher extent. Therefore, from the above discussion it can be said that there are different effective international business models that helped the business organizations to strengthen their market grip. Most of the big business organizations have adopted these four international business models. There are some negative points in the business models. However, the advantages are more, which have made the models more profitable for the companies. Conceptual Model of the Key factors or Theories The above discussion has cleared out that the concept and models of international business have several advantages that help the companies to improve and enhance their market positions. However, Cantwell (2015) argued that the effectiveness of the international business models is largely dependent on the two types of factors internal factors and external factors. The key factors of international business are discussed below: Internal factors: There are different internal factors that affect the performance of an international business organization. The factors are business location, product or service quality, price of the products or services, types and quality of labour and land (Fleisher Bensoussan, 2015). If the company expand its business in such a location where demand for its product is less, no business model will be effective. In the same way, if the quality of the product and services is low and price is high, then the customers will never agree to purchase the product or service. The implementation of the business model depends on the effectiveness or quality of the labourer (Morschett, Schramm-Klein Zentes, 2015). If the labourers are unskilled or less knowledgeable, then the business models cannot be implemented successfully. External factors: The external factors that affect the international business or the companies are political situation, social condition, technological advancement, economic situation and legal boundaries. In order to expand a business in the foreign country, it is very important that the foreign is politically stable. At the same time, is the legal boundaries are less then it becomes easier to expand the business in the international market. For example, after passing the FDI policies and regulations, many companies in USA and UK have expanded their business in India (Dunning, 2015). On the other side, technological advancement influences the international business. If a country is technologically advanced then more business organizations become interested to expand their business in that country (Mellahi Frynas, 2015). For example, Tata Motors merged with Jaguar Landover in order to expand its business in technologically advanced country that is UK. Apart from these factors, the international business of the companies also depends on the economic and social conditions of the countries. If the economic condition is stable and there is growth in the economy of a country, then it is profitable to expand the business in that country (Coviello, 2015). On the other side, while expanding the business in some foreign country, it is essential to identify whether the products and services of the company matches with the social culture of the country or not. For example, Standard Chartered changed some of its policies related to the interests on the deposit or investment, when it expanded its business in Pakistan because as per Islamic banking, interest is prohibited (Cantwell, 2015). However, in order to operate the international business properly, the business organizations have followed some theories of international business and management. Some of these theories are absolute advantage theory and comparative advantage theory. Absolute advantage theory was developed by Adam Smith in the year 1976 and this theory suggests that a company or country gets involved in the international business only when it gains absolute advantage in production (Grber Petersen, 2016). However, as per the comparative advantage theory, a company takes part in international business if it gains comparatively higher advantage in production (Meyer Peng, 2016). Therefore, the theories provide the idea of how and when the international business should be done by the companies. Summary In this study, it has been identified that international business is one of the lucrative way to expand the business. The study has determined that in order to sustain in the competitive market, the business firms adopt the competitive strategies. On the other side, it has also been found out that there are several business models for international business and management. The business models are franchising, joint venture, merger and acquisition and turnkey. At the same time, the international business of a company also depends on various internal and external factors. Along with that, there are some theories that help the companies to conduct the international business successfully. Reference list: Beamish, P. W., Lupton, N. C. (2016). Cooperative strategies in international business and management: Reflections on the past 50 years and future directions.Journal of World Business,51(1), 163-175. Buckley, P. J. (2016). The contribution of internalisation theory to international business: New realities and unanswered questions.Journal of World Business,51(1), 74-82. Cantwell, J. (2015). An introduction to the eclectic paradigm as a meta-framework for the cross-disciplinary analysis of international business. InThe Eclectic Paradigm(pp. 1-22). Palgrave Macmillan UK. Chaney, T. (2016). Networks in international trade. InThe Oxford Handbook of the Economics of Networks. Coviello, N. (2015). Re-thinking research on born globals.Journal of International Business Studies,46(1), 17-26. Dunning, J. H. (2015). Reappraising the eclectic paradigm in an age of alliance capitalism. InThe Eclectic Paradigm(pp. 111-142). Palgrave Macmillan UK. Fleisher, C. S., Bensoussan, B. E. (2015).Business and competitive analysis: effective application of new and classic methods. FT Press. Grber, L., Petersen, B. (2016). International Business Theories (October 2012) Faculty.world. Grant, R. M. (2016).Contemporary strategy analysis: Text and cases edition. John Wiley Sons. Jackson, R., Srensen, G. (2016).Introduction to international relations: theories and approaches. Oxford University Press. Mellahi, K., Frynas, G. (2015).Global strategic management. Oxford University Press. Meyer, K., Peng, M. (2016).International business. Cengage Learning. Morschett, D., Schramm-Klein, H., Zentes, J. (2015).Strategic international management. Springer. Radebaugh, L. H., Sullivan, D. P., Daniels, J. D. (2015).International business: Environments and operations. Pearson Education. Tallman, S., Pedersen, T. (2016). 31. Publishing in top international business and management journals.How to get Published in the Best Management Journals, 262. Zander, I., McDougall-Covin, P., Rose, E. L. (2015). Born globals and international business: Evolution of a field of research.Journal of International Business Studies,46(1), 27-35.

Underachievers Essays - Educational Psychology,

Underachievers This paper addresses the issue of how a negative self concept can effect achievement of gifted students. it specifically focuses on the effect of academic achievement, discusses what it means to be both an underachiever and have a negative self concept, how to identify these students and what family and teachers can do about this. PAPER Many academically gifted children underachieve in school classrooms as a result of the fact that they do not know how to achieve higher a or they feel they cannot achieve a task that they are expected to be able to but find it too difficult. Underachievement is a pervasive problem which results in a tremendous waste of human potential among our most able students. In fact, in 1972 the U.S. Commissioner of Education estimated that 17.6% of gifted ( both academically and non-academically) students drop out of high school, and that percentage is probably even higher today. (Schnieder, 1997) and to add a New Zealand perspective, Moltzen (in McAlpine and Moltzen, 1996) suggest that 10-20% of students who do not graduate are gifted. These students hold a negative self concept of themselves as they have not received the support necessary to be able to work and achieve at their own level. There are many different contributing factors to the establishing of self concepts and how they effect gifted children. . This paper addresses how gifted children form negative self concepts of themselves and how can effect their achievement in an academic school setting. First it is necessary to provide the background knowledge and the definitions on areas that are to be discussed. For the purpose of this paper the definition of self concept is a persons view of self, in relation to their perception of feed back from others. This view occurs in both academic and non-academic areas. (Fox, 1993 in Rawlinson, 1996) To specifically focus on the academic area of self concepts which is being addressed in this paper , an academic self concept is a relatively stable set of attitudes and feelings reflecting self evaluation of ones ability to successfully perform basic school related tasks such as reading, writing, spelling and maths. (Boersma & Chapman,1992 in Rawlinson, 1996) Self concepts tend to be domain specific, meaning that pupils have different self concepts towards different areas of the curriculum (Schunk,1990) but to avoid complications throughout this paper all academic subjects will all be inclusive with each other. The definition of underachievement is not as straight forward as that of self concept as many people have different ideas on what it means to underachieve. Wellington and Wellington (1965) suggest that under achievers have a low level of aspiration. In its simplest form it can be defined as a unfulfilled potential (Moltzen in McAlpine and Moltzen, 1996) but neither of these definitions provide much capture the essence of underachievement in gifted children as they do not provide enough detail as to the difference between what they are achieving and what they could achieve. The definition of the purpose of this assignment is provided by Davis and Rimm( 1994 in Moltzen, 1996) who define underachievement as a discrepancy between the Childs school performance and some index of his or her actual ability such as intelligence, achievement, or creativity score or observational data. Because a gifted student underachieves it does not mean that they are failing in the school system. Gifted students are generally capable of performing at least two levels ahead of their age peers. If they are not identified as being gifted, they are seldom challenged to perform in accord with their potential. In fact, these capable students may be considered underachievers even when they get"good" grades.( Schneider, 1997) All children are natural learners and begin life with a drive to acquire knowledge, understand it and make use of it according to their abilities. Children do not begin school with the intention of seeking failure or frustrating their teachers. (Schnieder, 1997) And gifted children definitely do not go out to seek failure. How pupils use this newly found information that they have learnt and how teachers react to how they use this information or how well they achieve, contributes to the forming of self concepts. An individuals self concept is formed as a result of interactions and experiences with others and is learned and acquired over time. (Rawlinson, 1996) In reinforcement to the idea that self concepts are learned, Scheirer & Kraut (1979) suggest with specific reference to academia that a self concept is a product of interactive outcomes with ones academic environment with